One Day at a Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters and make no money from this.

Day Nineteen: Left in the Dark

When Kakashi awoke the next time, the room was plunged in complete darkness once more. He breathed out a loud sigh as he become more aware of his surroundings, the usual morning memory rush reminding him of where he was and why he was there. This didn't explain why there were no lights though. His hand felt the ground around him clumsily, searching for the warmth of Sakura's body, which he clearly remembered falling asleep close to. A relieved smile tugged at his lips when his fingers connected with what he assumed to be her shoulder, just a couple of feet away. She must've moved when she was asleep.

"Sakura." He mumbled as he shook her softly. Feeling her stir, he removed his hand so he could lean on both of his hands to sit up.

"Kakashi-sensei?" She returned, anxiety clear in her voice, most caused by the darkness.

"I'm right here." He replied, extending his arm until his hand brushed against her back. Her body inched closer to his instantly until her own hands reached his sides, grabbing him clumsily.

"I can't even see you." She mumbled angrily as she sat close to him, their shoulders bumping together.

"I know." Came his obvious reply, but he really didn't know what else to say. One of his arms wrapped around her, pulling her as close to him as he could.

Tense silence filled the room, leaving no place for idle conversation between the teammates. They could only wait and wonder when someone would open the door and come take the kunoichi away yet again. As time passed, the couple huddled closer, clinging to each other for support, the wait making both of the ninja's nerves raw. It wasn't too long before hunger gnawed at their stomachs and thirst made their throats dry, leaving Kakashi to ponder over what their captor's plan might be. Up until now, they had been fed regularly, twice a day. He was certain that their mealtime had long passed by now, but it was hard to keep track of time at this point.

"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?" The girl nestled in his arms murmured,worried by the sudden change in their treatment, no doubt.

"I don't know." He mumbled against the side of her head, giving it a quick peck.

"I never thought you were the affectionate type." Her statement surprised him for a second, and he realized he had been quite open with showing the attachment he felt to her. He'd definitely never seen himself as cuddly either.

"You're just too irresistible?" He offered, a bit dumbfouded. A chukle left her lips, her back leaning fully against his chest as she lifted her chin to try and catch a glimpse of him. With not a tidbit of light, he knew he couldn't even see the contour of his face.

"I like it. It's comforting to be held and touched like this." She admitted, her fingers fidgeting innocently with the material of his pants.

"I can do this all day." He boasted, his voice too cheerful to be honest. To know that she appreciated his touch spread an overwhelming warmth through him, a sense of satisfaction swelling in his chest.

"You were always incredible, Kakashi-sensei." The nostalgia in her voice wiped the smile off his face, for some reason. He was aware that it was a compliment. Maybe it was the detachment in her tone that bothered him.

"You always saved me, always did these awesome things I never thought I could achieve. I'm glad that we're close." It was easy to tell she was being sincere, but it did nothing to fill the void her words created.

"I'll always be there." He reassured, hugging her tighter to him. It might have been how she referred to him as sensei still, how she always viewed him as someone much above her when all he wanted was to be someone she could rely on, no matter what her troubles were. Another possibility was that 'platonic' didn't describe what he thought of the girl anymore, whilst her opinion of him remained closer to that.

"Do you think they'll come today?" The sudden change in subject was very welcome for the jonin, an easy escape to the dangerous path his mind had wandered on.

"I think they're going to leave us like this for a while." He answered truthfully, though the efficacy of this plan was questionable in his opinion. They couldn't starve either of them to death or else they wouldn't get anything. If anything, it would be the lack of sight and of activity that would affect them the most.

His companion didn't answer, remaining in sullen silence instead. He swallowed the depressive sigh that threatened to come out, trying to appear strong for his friend. To say he missed their leisurely reading sessions, just out and laying in the grass and enjoying the sun, would be an understatement.

He longed for those moments of simplicity more than anything right now. Since their exchange had died out, he let his mind take him to better times, reveling in the comfort of memories, of time spent with the girl he now held protectively. It was odd, but it seemed to be the greatest thing to look forward to. To return to the routine they had shared, to be with her. He'd been happy for a while, now that he thought about it. This particular thought strenghtened his will to get them out of here safely, only fueled by his desire to return to a life where being in her company wasn't synonym with witnessing the cruelties inflicted upon her.


Chapter Twenty: Click Here